Oscillatory lawn sprinkler



1965 s. w. THOMPSON OSCILLATOR-Y LAWN SPRINKLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 14, 1965 [NV ENTOR. W745 170 ATTORIYLY Aug. 30, 1966 s. w. THOMPSON 3,259,661

OSCILLATORY LAWN SPRINKLER Filed Jan. 14, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

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Arm/mm United States Patent 3,269,661 OSCILLATORY LAWN SPRINKLER Seth W. Thompson, 9 Gordon Road, Essex Fells, NJ. .Filed Jan. 14, 1965, Ser. No. 425,475

6 Claims. (Cl. 239-242) This case is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Serial No. 290,836 filed June 26, 1963, now Patent No. 3,168,249. The present disclosure relates principally to that aspect to the invention embodied in my said copending application which concerns the means whereby the sprinkler may be selectively conditioned to deliver a jet of water at a desired angle that remains fixed relative to the ground surface on which the sprinkler is positioned.

Lawn sprinklers of the type contemplated in this and my prior copending application conventionally employ a discharge head that includes a water delivery pipe supplied from a garden hose and arranged to oscillate on a longitudinal axis substantially parallel to a ground surface on which the sprinkler is seated. Water is delivered by jet stream from the water pipe, at one or more directional discharge points determined by the manufacturers design, .and the lawn surface area wetted by the water discharged from the head is a function of the discharge point angle relative to the ground surface and the angle subtended by the arc of oscillation. Conventionally, in the type of oscillating sprinklers here contemplated, the width of the lawn area wetted during oscillation of the water pipe is determined by appropriate adjustment of a variable driving connection between the water pipe and the water motor mechanism by which it is oscillated, whereby to change the discharge point angle relative to the ground surface.

Prior to the advent of my invention as shown in my said prior application the art had no conception of means for disposing'the water pipe in a stationary position at a selected angle of water discharge, free from influence of the motor. Such disposition of the water pipe is highly desirable in many cases; as, for example, for direct stream watering of ground beneath the overhang of bushes, shrubs, and the like.

My said prior application has provision for disconnecting the oscillatable sprinkler head from the motor and anchoring it in a selected position, so that the water streams discharged from the head may be directed at a desired angle relative to the ground surface; but the obtainable variety of discharge angles is limited 'by the range of travel of the sprinkler head during oscillation, which range is a function of the mechanical driving connection between the head and motor. It is not possible in the sprinkler of my said prior application to hold the head stationary in a position such that the water streams are directed close to the ground surface parallel thereto or at an angle more acute relative thereto than is possible at either extreme limit of the arc of oscillation obtainable with the arrangement of parts disclosed therein. There are many conditions in lawn sprinkling where it is desirable to do so. The present invention makes it possible.

A primary object of the present invention is the provi- 'sion in a lawn sprinkler assembly, in which a sprinkler head is operated by a water motor through driving linkage which includes a component disengagea'ble from the linkage to disconnect the head from the motor, of holding means constituting an element of the assembly apart from the driving linkage and coactive with the disengageable component thereof when it is disconnected, whereby to hold the head stationary against oscillation and in a selective fixed position that is a function of the coaction between the linkage component and the holding means.

As another object, the aforesaid holding means is itself "ice movable selectively into various fixed positions of adjustment in the assembly.

Other and incidental objects will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a known oscillatable lawn sprinkler assembly, showing my invention as applied thereto.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 22 of FIG. 1, with the parts disposed for normal oscillation of the sprinkler 'by operation of its water motor.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, with the parts disposed to anchor the sprinkler head in a selected, fixed position, so that it cannot oscillate.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of another known oscillatable lawn sprinkler assembly, showing my invention applied thereto.

FIG. 5 is an end elevation from the left of FIG. 4,

with the parts disposed for normal oscillation of the sprinkler by operation of its water motor.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5, with the parts disposed to anchor the sprinkler head in a selected, fixed position against oscillation.

FIGS. 1-3 illustrate an application of my invention to a known oscillatable lawn sprinkler assembly comprising a ground seating frame 10 which at one end portion carries a water impelled motor 11 that is supplied with water through an inlet 12 having a garden hose connection 13. The frame is provided .at its other end with an upright portion 14 having a bearing 15 which journals the forward end of a water discharge pipe 16 that extends longitudinally in the frame with its rearward end journalled in a boss 17 of the water motor housing. The pipe 16 is supplied with water from the motor housing through its connection with the boss 17 and, when the sprinkler is in operation, water is discharged from the pipe as jet streams issuing through a series of apertures 18 disposed along the longitudinal axis of the pipe.

The pipe 16 constitutes a sprinkler head that is driven to oscillate on its longitudinal axis by power of the motor through a link 19 having at one end a detachable pivot connection 20 to a driving crank 21 that is an element of the motor. The other end of the link has a pivot connection 22 to a second crank 23 that is carried by and rigidly attached to the end of the sprinkler head pipe 16 adjacent its bearing in the motor housing boss 17. This connection 22 is designed for movement to various positions of adjustment along an arcuate slot 24 through which it plays in the head of the crank 23, whereby to regulate the arcuate extent of the sprinkler head oscillation.

In the application of my invention to the sprinkler assembly above-described, I provide on some fixed element of the assembly, here shown as the motor housing, a fixed stub shaft 25 that extends forwardly parallel to the axis of rotation of the motor 'crank 21 and spaced therefrom. This shaft carries an arm 26 rotatable thereon to various positions of angular adjustment controlled and fixed by attachment means 27, which may be a conventional set screw, carried by the arm and operative to hold the arm stationary on the shaft in any selected fixed position of adjustment. The arm has means 28 arranged for connection with the link 19 by means of its pivot connection 20 when it is disengaged from the motor crank 21.

In operation, when it is desired to stop the sprinkler from oscillating and to hold the head in a fixed position such that its water jets are directed at a desired angle radially with respect to the axis of rotation of the pipe 16, the pivot 20 of the link 19 is disconnected from the motor crank 21 and shifted to connect pivotally at 28 with the arm 26. The arm may then be rotated on its shaft 25 to cause the link correspondingly to rotate the crank 23 and thereby move the pipe 16 to a selected position for the desired angle of water jet discharge. The pipe may then be anchored in its selected position of adjustment simply by tightening home the set screw 27. Although the motor continues in operation, the sprinkler head cannot oscillate until the link 19 is disengaged from the arm 26 and is restored to its original connection with the motor crank.

FIGS. 4-6 illustrate an application of my invention to another known construction of an oscillatable sprinkler. In this embodiment the sprinkler assembly comprises a ground seating frame 110 which mounts on one end portion a water impelled motor 111 supplied with water through an inlet 112 equipped with a hose connection 113. The frame has at its other end an upright 114 whereof the upper end provides a bearing that journals the forward end of a water discharge pipe 116 which extends longitudinally in the frame with its rearward end journalled in a bearing assembly 117 on the motor housing. The pipe 116 is supplied through this hearing assembly with water from the motor housing and, when the sprinkler is in operation, water is discharged from the pipe in jet streams issuing from a series of nozzles 118 disposed along the longitudinal axis of the pipe.

Pipe 116 is a sprinkler head that is driven to oscillate on its longitudinal axis by power of the motor transmitted through a link 119 which has at one end a detachable pivot connection 120 to a driving crank 121 that is an element of the motor. The other end of the link has a pivot connection 122 to a second crank 123 that is carried by and rigidly attached to the end portion of the sprinkler head pipe adjacent the motor housing.

' Application of my invention to the sprinkler assembly shown in FIGS. 4-6 consists in the provision of some fixed element of the assembly, here shown as an element of the motor housing, of a fixed non-rotatable stub shaft 125 that extends forwardly parallel to the axis of rotation of the motor crank 121 and spaced therefrom. This shaft carries an arm 126 rotatable thereon to various positions of angular adjustment controlled and fixed by attachment means 127, preferably a set screw, carried by the arm and operative to hold the arm stationary on the shaft in any selected position of angular adjustment. The arm has means 128 arranged for connection with the link 119 by means of its pivot connection 120 when it is disengaged from the motor crank 121.

Operation is similar to that of the first described sprinkler. When it is desired to stop oscillation and to hold the head in a selected fixed position the link pivot 120 is disconnected from the motor crank 121 and shifted to connect pivotally at 128 with the arm 126. The arm may then be rotated on its shaft 125 to cause corresponding rotation of the crank 123 through the medium of the link; thereby moving the pipe 116 to the selected position for a desired angle of water jet discharge. The pipe may then be anchored in its position of adjustment by tightening home the set screw 127. Although the motor continues in operation the sprinkler head cannot oscillate until the link 119 is disengaged from the arm 126 and restored to its original connection with the crank of the motor.

It is obvious that the desired angular adjustment of the water discharge pipe 16 or 116 may, if desired, be efan inlet and an outlet and provided with a driving crank outside said housing, a sprinkler pipe mounted on said frame to oscillate about a horizontal axis and connected to said outlet to receive water therefrom, a driving connection between said crank and sprinkler pipe to oscillate the latter, said driving connection including a plurality of interconnected parts one of which is shifta'ble selectively into different positions in one of which it is an active component of the driving connection and in another of which it is disconnected therefrom, an elementin the assembly for engagement by said one part of the driving connection when disconnected, and said element when engaged by the disconnected part of the driving connection being coactive therewith to hold said sprinkler pipe against oscillation and stationary in a selected position radial with respect to the axis of oscillation of the pipe, said element being movable selectively to various positions of adjustment to immobilize the discharge head in a selected position determined by the position of adjustment of said element.

2. A lawn sprinkler assembly comprising, in combination, a support, a water discharge pipe mounted thereon for oscillation on an axis longitudinal with respect to the pipe, means for supply water to the pipe, a motor on the support operative by water supplied to the pipe, a mechanical driving connection between the motor and the pipe operative to'oscillate the pipe by operation of the motor, said driving connection including a plurality of interconnected parts, one of said parts being shiftable selectively into different positions in one of which it is an active component of the driving connection and in another of which it is disconnected from the motor while remaining connected to the water discharge pipe, a fixed element in the assembly immovalble therein, an arm pivoted on said element for angular movement in a plane perpendicular to the axis of oscillation of the water discharge pipe, said arm being pivotally connectible with said shiftable part of the driving connection when it is disconnected from the motor, and securing means coactive with said arm and with said fixed element operative to anchor said arm in a selected angular position of adjustment against movement relative to said fixed element.

3. A lawn sprinkler assembly comprising in combination: a water motor, an oscillatable water discharge head, a driving link between said motor and head in pivotal connection at one end portion with an element of the motor and in pivotal connection at its other end pop-tion with :an element of the discharge head, said pivotal connection with the motor element being detachable for disconnection of the link, and holding means on the assembly engageable by the disconnected free end of the link and operative through the link to immobilize the discharge head, said holding means being movable selectively to various positions of adjustment to immobilize the discharge head in a selected position determined by the position of adjustment of the holding means.

4. In a lawn sprinkler assembly having a water impelled driving member, a driven oscillatable water discharge member, and actuator linkage in pivotal connection at one point with the driving member and at another point with the driven member; said linkage connection with the driving member being detachable, and holding means on the sprinkler assembly structure connectible with the actuator linkage when detached from the driving member, said holding means when connected with the actuator linkage preventing movement of the water discharge member, said holding means being movable to various fixed positions of adjustment.

5. In a lawn sprinkler assembly having a water impelled driving member, a driven oscillatable water dis charge member, and actuator linkage in pivotal connection at one point with the driving member and at another point with the driven member; said linkage connection with the driving member being detachable, and holding means on the sprinkler assembly structure connectible with the actuator linkage when detached from the driving member, said holding means when connected with the actuator linkage preventing movement of the water discharge member, said point of pivotal connection of the linkage with the driven member being selectively changeable to various positions of adjustment, and said holding means being selectively movable to various fixed positions of adjustment.

6. In a lawn sprinkler assembly having a Water impelled driving member, a driven oscillatable water discharge member, and actuator linkage in pivotal connec tion at one point with the driving member and at another point with the driven member; said linkage connection with the driving member being detachable, and holding means on the sprinkler assembly structure connectible with the actuator linkage when detached from the driving member, said holding means when connected with the actuator linkage preventing movement of the water discharge member, said holding means including a stationary member carried by the assembly, an arm pivotally mounted on said stationary member for angular movement in a plane perpendicular to the axis of oscillation of the water discharge member, and securing means coac-tive with said arm and the stationary mem ber and operative to anchor the arm against movement on said stationary member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1959 Smith et al. 239-242 X 2/ 1965 Thompson 239-242 

2. A LAWN SPRINKLER ASSEMBLY COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, A SUPPORT, A WATER DISCHARGE PIPE MOUNTED THEREON FOR OSCILLATION ON AN AXIS LONGITUDINAL WITH RESPECT TO THE PIPE, MEANS FOR SUPPLY WATER TO THE PIPE, A MOTOR ON THE SUPPORT OPERATIVE BY WATER SUPPLIED TO THE PIPE, A MECHANICAL DRIVING CONNECTION BETWEEN THE MOTOR AND THE PIPE OPERATIVE TO OSCILLATE THE PIPE BY OPERATION OF THE MOTOR, SAID DRIVING CONNECTING INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF INTERCONNECTED PARTS, ONE OF SAID PARTS BEING SHIFTABLE SELECTIVELY INTO DIFFERENT POSITIONS IN ONE OF WHICH IT IS AN ACTIVE COMPONENT OF THE DRIVING CONNECTION AND IN ANOTHER OF WHICH IT IS DISCONNECTED FROM THE MOTOR WHILE REMAINING CONNECTED TO THE WATER DISCHARGE PIPE, A FIXED ELEMENT IN THE ASSEMBLY IMMOVABLE THEREIN, AN ARM PIVOTED ON SAID ELEMENT FOR ANGULAR MOVEMENT IN A PLANE PERPENDICULAR TO THE AXIS OF OSCILLATION OF THE WATER DISCHARGE PIPE, SAID ARM BEING PIVOTALLY CONNECTIBLE WITH SAID SHIFTABLE PART OF THE DRIVING CONNECTION WHEN ITS IS DISCONNECTED FROM THE MOTOR, AND SECURING MEANS COACTIVE WITH SAID ARM AND WITH SAID FIXED ELEMENT OPERATIVE TO ANCHOR SAID ARM IN A SELECTED ANGULAR POSITION OF ADJUSTMENT AGAINST MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO SAID FIXED ELEMENT. 